I’ve never seen that building. It’s between Melrose and Santa Monica east of Vine, kind of off the beaten path as far as Hollywood is concerned. Thanks for the addition.
There was an account of another fire on May 18, 1964 in the Danville Bee. This was a rather significant blaze. It appears from the introduction that the second fire was the end of movies being shown and after renovation the building re-opened for retail.
The old Kinema Theater building at 1211 Fulton Street, once one of Fresno’s plush entertainment palaces, is being demolished to make way for the $600,000 S. H. Krsss & Company store. The Kress company purchased the property last May from Abraham C. Schnee of Beverly Hills at a cost of $300,000. For many years it was owned by the Reading Estate Company of San Francisco. Two small shops on either side of the theater are included in the demolition project.
Oldtimers recall that the theater structure was erected in 1913 and was opened with a glamorous celebration by Mayor A.E. Snow. He pushed the button which turned on an unheard of electrical brilliance. The ushers were clad in evening dress. Every one of the 1,400 seats were occupied that November night as thousands of multi-colored serpentine rolls were tossed into the air. The mayor predicted Fresno’s great future growth. Emil Kehrlein was the theater manager and part owner.
In 1924, during the 11th anniversary celebration, Aimee Lynn Kilty was the organist. Few of thie patrons then, with their interest concentrated on the outcome of the hero’s fight for his girl, realized what a big part the musician played in providing the heart flutter and the spine chills as the play progressed. The organ was installed at a cost of $30,000 and could be made to produce, with the aid of its many pipes, an enormous multiplication of sounds.
Stage shows began in 1925 and included the University of California Glee Club, Fanchon and Marco revues and a permanent 12 piece orchestra when the Fox West Coast Theaters leased the theater. Similar attractions were billed by the Liberty Theater, also operated by Fox West Coast.
A compound cooling system was installed which kept the inside temperature at 56 degrees when it was from 116 to 120 degrees on the outside. In 1929 the Kinema first presented the new “talkiesâ€.
The theater in the following years was closed frequently for modernization, and was hit by fire on two or three occasions. In 1952 its name was changed to the Rivoli Theater when it was leased by Gamble & O'Keefe of Los Angeles. The following year it was leased by Gerald C. Hardy, who inaugurated three dimension color motion pictures.
The Fox West Coast chain took back the operation of the theater early in 1934. It has been closed for nearly three years. For a while it was used by a church youth group.
There is one more Paramount ad in the LA Times, in September 1925, that mentions the Pictorial. After that it disappears, so it probably didn’t make it past the silent era. 151 E. MLK is a bit east of Main Street, about a block and a half.
I would like to see a picture of this, if any exist. It must have been a better neighborhood seventy years ago. I would also like to see what the Rio on Western looked like.
The other scenario, since William Gabel said the theater opened in the early 1930s, was that the Olympus was a predecessor to the Joy. I think it more likely that there was one theater that opened in the 1920s instead of the 1930s.
FLAGSTAFF-Northern Arizona Theaters has closed the Orpheum here until about the first of the year to permit extensive remodeling. Clarence Shartzer, manager, said the work would cost about $100,000.
An addition which would increase the capacity to more than 1,000 persons was largely built before the Orpheum closed. Further improvements will include a new floor, new stage, pushback seats, new projection and sound equipment, an enlarged foyer and a new front.
Alexander S. Weiss, who had some theater operating experience in Transylvania before coming to the United States in 1939, has purchased the 500-seat Lincoln in Schenectady from Sid Dwore. He is taking possession December 1, when he will become a member of Upstates Theaters, Inc.
Weiss plans to close the house for several weeks for refurbishing. He will repaint and redecorate, make seat changes, improve the rest rooms and generally brighten up the theater. Isadore Bernstein has been lessee of the Lincoln for the past two years.
Here are some February 2009 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/b4pd7o
http://tinyurl.com/ckjj86
http://tinyurl.com/cdgn5f
I’ve never seen that building. It’s between Melrose and Santa Monica east of Vine, kind of off the beaten path as far as Hollywood is concerned. Thanks for the addition.
There was an account of another fire on May 18, 1964 in the Danville Bee. This was a rather significant blaze. It appears from the introduction that the second fire was the end of movies being shown and after renovation the building re-opened for retail.
Additional photos are here:
http://tinyurl.com/dgc272
The last paragraph should say Fox took back the theater in 1954, not 1934.
This is from the Fresno Bee Republican, 12/15/57:
Fresno Palace of Yesteryear Succumbs
The old Kinema Theater building at 1211 Fulton Street, once one of Fresno’s plush entertainment palaces, is being demolished to make way for the $600,000 S. H. Krsss & Company store. The Kress company purchased the property last May from Abraham C. Schnee of Beverly Hills at a cost of $300,000. For many years it was owned by the Reading Estate Company of San Francisco. Two small shops on either side of the theater are included in the demolition project.
Oldtimers recall that the theater structure was erected in 1913 and was opened with a glamorous celebration by Mayor A.E. Snow. He pushed the button which turned on an unheard of electrical brilliance. The ushers were clad in evening dress. Every one of the 1,400 seats were occupied that November night as thousands of multi-colored serpentine rolls were tossed into the air. The mayor predicted Fresno’s great future growth. Emil Kehrlein was the theater manager and part owner.
In 1924, during the 11th anniversary celebration, Aimee Lynn Kilty was the organist. Few of thie patrons then, with their interest concentrated on the outcome of the hero’s fight for his girl, realized what a big part the musician played in providing the heart flutter and the spine chills as the play progressed. The organ was installed at a cost of $30,000 and could be made to produce, with the aid of its many pipes, an enormous multiplication of sounds.
Stage shows began in 1925 and included the University of California Glee Club, Fanchon and Marco revues and a permanent 12 piece orchestra when the Fox West Coast Theaters leased the theater. Similar attractions were billed by the Liberty Theater, also operated by Fox West Coast.
A compound cooling system was installed which kept the inside temperature at 56 degrees when it was from 116 to 120 degrees on the outside. In 1929 the Kinema first presented the new “talkiesâ€.
The theater in the following years was closed frequently for modernization, and was hit by fire on two or three occasions. In 1952 its name was changed to the Rivoli Theater when it was leased by Gamble & O'Keefe of Los Angeles. The following year it was leased by Gerald C. Hardy, who inaugurated three dimension color motion pictures.
The Fox West Coast chain took back the operation of the theater early in 1934. It has been closed for nearly three years. For a while it was used by a church youth group.
This must be one of the very early theaters in LA, which is interesting as that part of downtown was almost in the suburbs back then.
Here is an event that was held at the Kent last October:
http://tinyurl.com/cw334u
There is one more Paramount ad in the LA Times, in September 1925, that mentions the Pictorial. After that it disappears, so it probably didn’t make it past the silent era. 151 E. MLK is a bit east of Main Street, about a block and a half.
They used a backlot instead of actually filming the last scenes downtown. I was disappointed.
Don’t forget “The Next Voice You Hear”, with Nancy Reagan, where God speaks to the people through a radio. Early fifties, I think.
Mostly about the one-man shows, Will Rogers, TR, Harry Truman.
I checked under Forum in 1954 and got a few hits, but no movie listings. Maybe you will have better luck.
I didn’t see Them! mentioned in any of the obits for James Whitmore the other day.
Maybe you could put “them” and also “giant ants'?
The national release date was 6/19/54. I don’t know about LA.
I would like to see a picture of this, if any exist. It must have been a better neighborhood seventy years ago. I would also like to see what the Rio on Western looked like.
2014 E. 1st Street.
The other scenario, since William Gabel said the theater opened in the early 1930s, was that the Olympus was a predecessor to the Joy. I think it more likely that there was one theater that opened in the 1920s instead of the 1930s.
Advertised as the Olympus in the LA Times on 8/31/24, so that should be an aka.
This is from Boxoffice magazine, November 1947:
FLAGSTAFF-Northern Arizona Theaters has closed the Orpheum here until about the first of the year to permit extensive remodeling. Clarence Shartzer, manager, said the work would cost about $100,000.
An addition which would increase the capacity to more than 1,000 persons was largely built before the Orpheum closed. Further improvements will include a new floor, new stage, pushback seats, new projection and sound equipment, an enlarged foyer and a new front.
Sorry, that ad was from Gerald DeLuca, not Warren.
By the way, did you see the Yiddish film that was playing in Warren’s ad of 2/19/08? There was some diversity in this theater.
This is from Boxoffice magazine in November 1947:
NEW YORK-“Francis the First”, a French film, opened at the Stanley Theater November 19. The theater usually shows first-run Russian product.
This is from Boxoffice magazine in November 1947:
Alexander S. Weiss, who had some theater operating experience in Transylvania before coming to the United States in 1939, has purchased the 500-seat Lincoln in Schenectady from Sid Dwore. He is taking possession December 1, when he will become a member of Upstates Theaters, Inc.
Weiss plans to close the house for several weeks for refurbishing. He will repaint and redecorate, make seat changes, improve the rest rooms and generally brighten up the theater. Isadore Bernstein has been lessee of the Lincoln for the past two years.